Nawat
Uto-Aztecan
Nawat (also called Pipil, autonymously Nawat) is a Nahuan Uto-Aztecan language descended from Classical Nahuatl-speaking migrants who moved south from central Mexico to El Salvador around 800-900 CE. The Nawat-speaking Pipil people maintained their indigenous language for 800 years before being severely affected by the 1932 La Matanza massacre, in which the Salvadoran government killed an estimated 10,000-40,000 indigenous people, many of them Nawat speakers. After 1932, surviving Nawat speakers hid their indigenous identity and language for safety, leading to near-complete language shift. Today, only around 500-2000 fluent speakers remain, virtually all elderly. Revival efforts since the 1990s include bilingual education programs, the Don Bosco University Nawat-language degree program, and the IRIN-USAID Nawat cultural revitalization project. Linguistically, Nawat preserves Postclassic Nahuatl features that are absent from Modern Mexican Nahuatl varieties.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Nawat
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Uto-Aztecan
| Meaning | Nawat | Central Huasteca Nahuatl | Eastern Huasteca Nahuatl | Western Huasteca Nahuatl | Isthmus Nahuatl | Guerrero Nahuatl | Classical Nahuatl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | at /at/ | atl /atɬ/ | atl /atɬ/ | atl /atɬ/ | a̱ꞌti /aːʔti/ | atl /atɬ/ | ātl /aːtɬ/ |
| Fire | tit /tit/ | tlitl /tɬitɬ/ | tlitl /tɬitɬ/ | tlitl /tɬitɬ/ | tiꞌti /tiʔti/ | tlitl /tɬitɬ/ | tlētl /tɬeːtɬ/ |
| Sun | tunal /tunal/ | tonati /tonati/ | tonatih /tonatih/ | tonati /tonati/ | to̱nati̱ꞌ /toːnatiːʔ/ | tonajli /tonahli/ | tōnatiuh /toːnatiw/ |
| Moon | metzti /meːtsti/ | metztli /metstɬi/ | metztli /metstɬi/ | metztli /metstɬi/ | me̱tzti /meːtsti/ | metztli /metstɬi/ | mētztli /meːtstɬi/ |
| Star | sital /ˈsital/ | sitlalij /siˈtɬalih/ | sitlalij /siˈtɬalih/ | sitlalij /siˈtɬalih/ | si̱talin /siːtalin/ | sitlalin /siˈtɬalin/ | cītlālin /siːˈtɬaːlin/ |
| Night | tayua /tajuwa/ | youali /jowali/ | yohuali /jowali/ | yohuali /jowali/ | yóhual /ˈjowal/ | yowalli /jowalːi/ | yohualli /joːwalːi/ |
| Rain | kiawit /kiawit/ | kiyawit /kiˈjawit/ | quiyahuitl /kijawitɬ/ | quiyahuitl /kijawitɬ/ | tiahua̱ꞌ /tiawaːʔ/ | quiyahuitl /kijawitɬ/ | quiyahuitl /kiˈjawitɬ/ |
| Wind | ejekat /eˈhekat/ | ajakatl /ahakatɬ/ | ajacatl /ahakatɬ/ | ajacatl /ahakatɬ/ | ejecaꞌ /ehekaʔ/ | ajacatl /ahakatɬ/ | ehecatl /eˈhekatɬ/ |
| Earth | tal /ˈtaːl/ | tlali /tɬali/ | tlali /tɬali/ | tlali /tɬali/ | ta̱jli /taːhli/ | tlajli /tɬahli/ | tlālli /tɬaːlːi/ |
| Stone | tet /tet/ | tetl /tetɬ/ | tetl /tetɬ/ | tetl /teːtɬ/ | teꞌti /teʔti/ | tetl /teːtɬ/ | tetl /tetɬ/ |
| Mountain | tepet /ˈtepet/ | tepetl /ˈtepeːtɬ/ | tepetl /ˈtepeːtɬ/ | tepetl /ˈtepeːtɬ/ | tepe̱ꞌ /tepeːʔ/ | tepetl /ˈtepeːtɬ/ | tepētl /ˈtepeːtɬ/ |
| Mother | nan /nan/ | nana /nana/ | mama /mama/ | nana /nana/ | te̱ye̱ꞌ /teːjeːʔ/ | nanan /nanan/ | nāntli /naːntɬi/ |
| Father | tat /tat/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | te̱taj /teːtah/ | tatah /tatah/ | tahtli /tahtɬi/ |
| Daughter | nusiwapiltzin /nusiwaˈpiltsin/ | noichpoca /noitʃˈpoka/ | noichpoca /noitʃˈpoka/ | noichpoca /noitʃˈpoka/ | isihua̱piltzi̱n /isiwaːpiltsiːn/ | nochpoch /ˈnotʃpotʃ/ | ichpōchtli /itʃpoːtʃtɬi/ |
| I | naja /ˈnaha/ | na /na/ | na /na/ | na /na/ | nej /neh/ | nejua /neˈwa/ | nehhuātl /neʔˈwaːtɬ/ |
| You | taja /ˈtaha/ | ta /ta/ | ta /ta/ | ta /ta/ | tej /teh/ | tejua /teˈwa/ | tehhuātl /teʔˈwaːtɬ/ |
| We | tejemet /teˈhemet/ | tohuanti /toˈwanti/ | tohuanti /toˈwanti/ | tohuanti /toˈwanti/ | tejame̱n / nejame̱n /tehameːn / nehameːn/ | tejuamej /teˈwameh/ | tehhuāntin /teʔˈwaːntin/ |
| Name | tukay /ˈtukaj/ | tocaxtli /toˈkaʃtɬi/ | tocaxtli /toˈkaʃtɬi/ | tocaxtli /toˈkaʃtɬi/ | to̱ca̱ꞌ /toːkaːʔ/ | tocaitl /toˈkaitɬ/ | tōcāitl /toːˈkaːitɬ/ |
| Person | takat /ˈtakat/ | masehuali /maseˈwali/ | tlacatl /ˈtɬakatɬ/ | masehuali /maseˈwali/ | — | tlacatl /ˈtɬakatɬ/ | tlācatl /tɬaːkatɬ/ |
| Head | tzuntekun /tsuntekun/ | tzontecomitl /tsonteˈkomitɬ/ | tzontecomitl /tsonteˈkomitɬ/ | tzontecomitl /tsonteˈkomitɬ/ | tzontecon /tsontekon/ | tzontecomitl /tsonteˈkomitɬ/ | cuāitl /kʷaːitɬ/ |
| Eye | ish /iʃ/ | ixtioli /iʃtioli/ | ixtiyol /iʃtijol/ | ixteyol /iʃtejol/ | i̱xti /iːʃti/ | ixtololo /iʃtololo/ | īxtli /iːʃtɬi/ |
| Ear | nakas /nakas/ | nacastli /nakastɬi/ | nacastli /nakastɬi/ | nacastli /nakastɬi/ | nacas /nakas/ | nacas /nakas/ | nacaztli /nakastɬi/ |
| Nose | yak /jak/ | yakatsoli /jakatsoli/ | yacatl /jakatɬ/ | yacatl /jakatɬ/ | yacti /jakti/ | yacatl /jakatɬ/ | yacatl /jakatɬ/ |
| Mouth | ten /ten/ | camactli /kaˈmaktɬi/ | camactli /kaˈmaktɬi/ | camactli /kaˈmaktɬi/ | te̱nti /teːnti/ | camactli /kaˈmaktɬi/ | camatl /kamatɬ/ |
| Tooth | tan /tan/ | tlankoch /tɬankotʃ/ | tlankoch /tɬankotʃ/ | tlankoch /tɬankotʃ/ | tanti /tanti/ | tlan /tɬan/ | tlantli /tɬantɬi/ |
| Tongue | nenepil /nenepil/ | nenepili /nenepili/ | nenepil /nenepil/ | nenepil /nenepil/ | le̱nguaj /leːnɡʷah/ | nenepil /nenepil/ | nenepilli /nenepilːi/ |
| Hand | mey /mei/ | maitl /maitɬ/ | maitl /maitɬ/ | maitl /maitɬ/ | mayiꞌ /majiʔ/ | maitl /maitɬ/ | māitl /maːitɬ/ |
| Foot | ikshi /ikʃi/ | icxitl /ikʃitɬ/ | icxitl /ikʃitɬ/ | icxitl /ikʃitɬ/ | icxi /ikʃi/ | icxitl /ikʃitɬ/ | icxitl /ikʃitɬ/ |
| Heart | yulu /julu/ | yolotl /jolotɬ/ | yollotl /jolːotɬ/ | yolotl /jolotɬ/ | iya̱lmaj /ijaːlmah/ | yojlotl /johlotɬ/ | yōllōtl /joːlːoːtɬ/ |
| Bone | umit /umit/ | omitl /omitɬ/ | omitl /omitɬ/ | omitl /omitɬ/ | omiꞌ /omiʔ/ | omitl /omitɬ/ | omitl /omitɬ/ |
| Blood | esti /esti/ | estli /estɬi/ | estli /estɬi/ | estli /estɬi/ | esti /esti/ | yestli /jestɬi/ | eztli /esˈtɬi/ |
| Poop | kwitat /kʷitat/ | cuitlatl /ˈkʷitɬatɬ/ | cuitlatl /ˈkʷitɬatɬ/ | cuitlatl /ˈkʷitɬatɬ/ | cuitaꞌ /kʷitaʔ/ | — | cuitlatl /kʷitɬatɬ/ |
| Love | tasujta /tasuhta/ | tlazohtla /tɬasoʔtɬa/ | tlasojtla /tɬasohtɬa/ | tlasojtla /tɬasohtɬa/ | quinequi /kineki/ | tlazohtla /tɬasoʔtɬa/ | tlazōhtla /tɬasoːhtɬa/ |
| Tree | kwawit /kʷawit/ | cuahuitl /kʷawitɬ/ | cuahuitl /kʷawitɬ/ | cuahuitl /kʷawitɬ/ | cuahuiꞌ /kʷawiʔ/ | kojtli /kohtɬi/ | cuahuitl /kʷawitɬ/ |
| Dog | pelu /peːlu/ | chichi /tʃitʃi/ | chichi /tʃitʃi/ | chichi /tʃitʃi/ | pe̱lo /peːlo/ | itzcuintli /itskʷintɬi/ | itzcuīntli /itskʷiːntɬi/ |
| Cat | mistun /mistuːŋ/ | misto /misto/ | mizto /misto/ | mizton /miston/ | misto̱n /mistoːn/ | miston /miston/ | mīztōn /miːstoːn/ |
| Fish | michin /mitʃin/ | michi /mitʃi/ | michi /mitʃi/ | michi /mitʃi/ | to̱poj /toːpoh/ | michin /mitʃin/ | michin /mitʃin/ |
| Bird | tutut /tutut/ | tototl /tototɬ/ | tototl /ˈtototɬ/ | tototl /tototɬ/ | to̱to̱ꞌ /toːtoːʔ/ | tototl /ˈtototɬ/ | tōtōtl /toːtoːtɬ/ |
| Butterfly | papalut /papalut/ | papalotl /paˈpalotɬ/ | papalotl /paˈpalotɬ/ | papalotl /paˈpalotɬ/ | me̱me̱ /meːmeː/ | papalotl /paˈpalotɬ/ | pāpālōtl /paːpaːloːtɬ/ |
| Egg | teksisti /teksisti/ | tejsistli /tehsistɬi/ | tejquistli /tehkistɬi/ | tecsistli /teksistɬi/ | itecsis /iteksis/ | totoltetl /totolˈtetɬ/ | tōtoltetl /toːtoltetɬ/ |
| Bear | tekwani metzkujkutu /teːˈkʷani metskuhkutu/ | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | oso /ˈoso/ | tlācamāyeh /tɬaːkamaːjeʔ/ |
| Horse | cahuayoh /kaˈwajuh/ | kauayoj /kaˈwajoh/ | kawayoh /kaˈwaːjoh/ | cahuayoj /kaˈwajoh/ | cahua̱yoj /kaˈwaːjoh/ | caballo /kaˈbajo/ | cahuallo /kaˈwaːlːo/ |
| House | kal /kal/ | kali /kali/ | cali /kali/ | cali /kali/ | cajli /kahli/ | kajli /kahli/ | calli /kalːi/ |
| Honey | nekti /nekti/ | necti /nekti/ | nectli /nektɬi/ | nectli /nektɬi/ | necti /nekti/ | necutli /neˈkutɬi/ | neuctli /nekʷtɬi/ |
| Salt | istat /istat/ | istatl /istatɬ/ | istatl /istatɬ/ | istatl /istatɬ/ | istaꞌ /istaʔ/ | istatl /istatɬ/ | iztatl /istatɬ/ |
| Chocolate | chukulat /tʃukulat/ | chocolatl /tʃokoˈlatɬ/ | chocolatl /tʃokoˈlatɬ/ | chocolatl /tʃokoˈlatɬ/ | — | chikolatl /tʃikoˈlatɬ/ | — |
| Iron | tepusti /tepusti/ | tepostli /tepostɬi/ | tepostli /tepostɬi/ | tepostli /tepostɬi/ | tepos /tepos/ | tepostli /tepostɬi/ | tepoztli /tepostɬi/ |
| Wheel | rweda /rweda/ | rueda /rweda/ | rueda /rweda/ | rueda /rweda/ | — | — | temalacatl /temalakatɬ/ |
| Book | amat /amat/ | amochtli /aˈmotʃtɬi/ | amoxtli /aˈmoʃtɬi/ | libro /ˈlibro/ | a̱maꞌ /aːmaʔ/ | libro /ˈlibro/ | āmoxtli /aːˈmoʃtɬi/ |
| Eat | takwa /takwa/ | tlacua /tɬakʷa/ | tlacua /tɬakʷa/ | tlacua /tɬakʷa/ | tacua /takʷa/ | tlakua /tɬakʷa/ | tlacua /tɬakʷa/ |
| Drink | ati /ati/ | atli /atɬi/ | atli /atɬi/ | atli /atɬi/ | a̱ti /aːti/ | koni /koni/ | ātli /aːtɬi/ |
| Sleep | kuchi /ˈkutʃi/ | cochi /ˈkotʃi/ | cochi /ˈkotʃi/ | cochi /ˈkotʃi/ | cochi /kotʃi/ | cochi /ˈkotʃi/ | cochi /kotʃi/ |
| One | se /se/ | ce /se/ | ce /se/ | ce /se/ | se̱ /seː/ | ce /se/ | cē /seː/ |
| Two | ume /ˈume/ | ome /ˈome/ | ome /ˈome/ | ome /ˈome/ | o̱me /oːme/ | ome /ˈome/ | ōme /ˈoːme/ |
| Three | yey /jej/ | eyi /ejiː/ | eyi /ejiː/ | eyi /ejiː/ | e̱yi /eːji/ | yeyi /jeji/ | yei /jeːi/ |
| Four | nawi /naːwi/ | nahui /naːwi/ | nahui /naːwi/ | nahui /nawi/ | na̱hui /naːwi/ | nahui /nawi/ | nāhui /naːwi/ |
| Five | makwil /maˈkʷil/ | makuili /maˈkʷili/ | macuili /maˈkʷili/ | macuili /maˈkʷili/ | cinco /sinko/ | makuijli /makʷihli/ | mācuīlli /maːˈkʷiːlːi/ |
| Hundred | tzunti /tsunti/ | cien /sjen/ | cien /sjen/ | cien /sjen/ | cien /sjen/ | ciento /ˈsjento/ | mācuīlpōhualli /maːkʷiːlpoːˈwalːi/ |
| Hello | ne pakua /ne pakwa/ | niltze /niltse/ | nimitzpaca /nimitspaka/ | niltze /niltse/ | — /—/ | panolti /panolti/ | niltze /niltse/ |
| Thank you | padiush /padjuʃ/ | tlaskamati /tɬaskamati/ | tlascamati /tɬaskamati/ | tlascamati /tɬaskamati/ | gracias /ɡrasjas/ | tlazohcamati /tɬasoʔkamati/ | tlazōhcāmati /tɬasoːhkaːmati/ |
| Good | yek /jeːk/ | kuali /kʷali/ | cuali /kʷali/ | cuali /kʷali/ | ye̱cti /jeːkti/ | kuajli /kʷahli/ | cualli /kʷalːi/ |
| New | yankwik /jaŋkʷik/ | yancuic /ˈjankʷik/ | yancuic /ˈjankʷik/ | yancuic /ˈjankʷik/ | yancuiꞌ /jankʷiʔ/ | yencuic /ˈjenkʷik/ | yancuic /jankʷik/ |
| Red | chiltik /tʃiltik/ | chichiltik /tʃitʃiltik/ | chichiltik /tʃitʃiltik/ | chichiltik /tʃitʃiltik/ | chi̱ltiꞌ /tʃiːltiʔ/ | chichiltik /tʃitʃiltik/ | chichiltic /tʃitʃiltik/ |
| White | istak /istak/ | istak /istak/ | chipahuac /tʃipawak/ | chipahuac /tʃipawak/ | ista̱ꞌ /istaːʔ/ | istak /istak/ | iztāc /istaːk/ |
| Black | tiltik /tiltik/ | yayahuic /jaˈjawik/ | yayahuic /jaˈjawik/ | yayahuic /jaˈjawik/ | pi̱stiꞌ /piːstiʔ/ | capotztic /kaˈpotstik/ | tlīltic /tɬiːltik/ |
| Green | shushuwik /ʃuʃuwik/ | xoxohuic /ʃoˈʃowik/ | xoxohuic /ʃoˈʃowik/ | xoxohuic /ʃoˈʃowik/ | xoxoctiꞌ /ʃoʃoktiʔ/ | xoxojki /ʃoˈʃohki/ | xoxoctic /ʃoʃoktik/ |
| Sushi | sushi /suʃi/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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